Garment



March 8, 1949. CHANDLER 2,464,025

GARMENT Filed Dec. 21, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 %ENTOR..

,4 M M W March 8, 1949. J. M. CHAN DLER 2,464,025

GARMENT Filed Dec. 21, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Mar. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GARMENT Johanna M. Chandler, Westport, Conn.

Application December 21, 1946, Serial No. 717,700

3 Claims.

This invention relates to ladies garments, and has for its principal object the provision of an improved body garment or slip having attached Waist and skirt portions, and which is so constructed as to readily adjust itself to the girth of the wearer. The self-adjusting garment of the present invention is primarily, although not exclusively, a maternity garment. It allows for a natural and free expansion of the garment while conforming to the contour of the body. The slip gets its principal support at the shoulders, and no portions of the garment bind or in any way constrict the body of the wearer, regardless of her position.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of two generally similarlyshaped, overlapping panels forming the front skirt portion of the garment. Each of these panels is of special configuration, and is stitched to the main body of the garment along three of its edges, leaving the lower edge and another edge free. These two panels are affixed to the garment in a reverse sense, and the latter edges, which are unattached, permit self-adjustment of the garment to the body without the necessity of letting out seams or other equivalent devices generally found in maternity garments. The garment permits normal and gradual development of pregnancy, and does not interfere with circulation of the body.

When the invention is embodied in a maternity garment, it is preferably formed with a midriff section which affords support to the waist portion of the wearer, but does not extend downwardly far enough as to interfere with normal development of pregnancy or to restrict circulation.

As a garment of general utility, a slip embodying the present invention has improved fitting qualities, is more comfortable than a garment of fixed girth, and does not ride up when the wearer sits down. A full bias garment, although unsuited as a maternity garment, especially in the later stages, nevertheless does accommodate itself to the wearer's increased girth when she sits down. This increase is compensated for by a general shortening of the garment in the front skirt portion, which is undesirable. In the garment of the present invention there is no substantial loss of length under such conditions.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved ladies panties, again designed primarily, although not exclusively, for maternity use, and wherein there are the two distinctively shaped overlapping panels in the front. One edge of each panel is free and permits of circumferential expansion without alteration of the garment.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a partial front and side elevation 2 of a garment embodying the present invention in place upon the wearer.

Fig. 2 is a broken rear elevation of the garment lying in a plane.

Fig. 3 is a broken front elevation of the same.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the pattern for a garment embodying the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on lin 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the front of a garment in the form of panties embodying the present invention.

A pattern for a garment embodying the present invention is illustrated in Fig. 4. The rear waist section is formed from a generally rectangular blank Ill having an upper edge 1 l which may be substantially straight or otherwise formed, opposed downwardly and slightly inwardly-inclined edges I2, and a lower, generally straight edge I3. The rear skirt section comprises a blank it having an upper edge I5 which is joined to lower edge l3 to form stitch line l6. It further includes downwardly and slightly outwardly-inclined vertical edges 20, and a lower, somewhat curved edge 21 forming the lower rear edge of the garment.

The bust-enclosing portion of the waist section of the garment includes two blanks 22 having a substantially-straight edge 23, an upwardly, somewhat curved edge 24, a downwardly-inclined edge 24, a generally-straight edge 26 coinciding with the front median line of the garment, an inwardly-inclined edge 21, and a lower edge 28. In accordance with approved construction, such bust-enclosing sections are preferred to be of double thickness. Accordingly, four blanks of this shape may be used.

A midrifi blank 30 includes a lower edge. 3|, opposed upwardly-inclined edges 32, and upward ly-inclined, somewhat curved edges 33 which meet at the front median line of the garment. Finally, the garment includes outer and inner front skirt blanks 34 and 35, respectively. Each of such blanks comprises a generally-straight edge 35, a slightly-curved edge 31, a downwardlyinclined edge 38, a lower, somewhat curved edge 39, and a generally-straight edge 40. Except for the portion defined by edge 36, each of blanks 34 and 35 is generally of the same shape as blank M. The shapes of the several blanks and the contours of certain of the edges will vary, depending upon sizes and other considerations.

It will be noted that the combined lengths of edges 23 of blank 22, and 32 of blank 33, are generally equal to the combined length of edge E2 of blank to. These edges are joined together to form stitch line 4|. Edges 21 and 28 of blank 22 are next stitched to edge 33 of midriif blank 38 to form stitch line 42. In order to shape the bust-enclosing sections there are desirably formed a number of shart darts 43 extending upwardly from each edge 42. Next, edges 26 of blanks 22 are joined together to form stitch line 50, thus completing the waist portion of the garment.

The upper edge 3"! of inner front skirt blank 35 is now stitched to the left-hand end of the lower edge 31 of midriff blank 39 (when viewed as in Fig. 3) to form stitch line 45. The corresponding upper edge 31 of outer front skirt panel 34 is next stitched to the remaining portion of lower edge 3| of the midriff blank to form stitch line 46. It will be noted, of course, that there is .a slight overlapping of the upper edges 31 of these two front skirt panels.

The next operation is to stitch edge 38 of inner front skirt panel 35 to one edge 20 of rear skirt panel I4 while, at the same time, stitching the opposite shorter edge 40 of outer front skirt panel 34, thus forming stitch line 51, which is a side seam. A similar operation is effected on the opposite side of the garment to form a-side seam 52. The garment is now complete, except that if desired a slide fastener or other closure means may be provided along one .of such side seams, as shown at 53 in Fig. 2. This construction, whereby edges 36 in each of the front skirt panels are free and unattached, permits of circumferential expansion of the garment, either when the wearer sits down or when the wearer increases in girth.

The panty construction illustrated in Fig. 6 is largely the same as the slip construction, except, of course, that the "garment does not extend above the waist line of the wearer, and it is also somewhat shorter. It includes ,a rear skirt panel 55, an inner front skirt panel 56, and an outer front skirt panel 51. Each of the two latter panels is similarly shaped, and except for a cut-away portion defined by diagonally-inclined edges 58 they are each ,of substantially the same shape as rear skirt blank '55. A crotch portion 59 joins the .front and back of the garment and formsleg portions 66.

This construction, whereby edges 58 of the overlapping front skirt panels are free and unattached, permits the garment to .open up when the girth of the wearer increases, without, however, distorting the garment or causing any binding action upon the wearer. I

The grain line of the material relating to the edges of the several blanks is shown in the drawings, and if the blanks are so formed better results will be achieved than if the grain line is considerably altered. Particularly is this true with respect to the overlapping front skirt blanks 34 and 35.

While two forms or embodiments of the invention have been shown and described .herein for illustrative purposes, and the construction and arrangement incidental to two specific applications thereof have been disclosed and discussed in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is limited neither to the mere details or relative arrangement-of parts, nor to its specific embodiments shown herein, but that extensive deviations from vtheillustrated forms or embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the principles thereof.

What I claim is:

l. A body garment formed with front and back portions, the frontportion including a waist .sec-

tion and a skirt section which are joined together substantially at the waist line of the garment, said skirt section being formed from a pair of similarly-shaped but oppositely-disposed, superimposed blanks, each having a bottom edge, side edges, and a top edge including a section on one side of the blank which is disposed along the waist line and which is attached to the waist section .of the garment, said upper edge further including a downwardly and outwardly-inclined section on the opposite side of the blank which extends over :the abdominal region of the wearer and which is free and unattached, the opposed side edges of said superimposed blanks being attached to the back portion of the garment.

2. A body garment formed with front and back portions, the front portion including a waist section and a skirt section which are joined together substantially at the waist line of the garment, said skirt section being formed from a pair of similarly-shaped but oppositely-disposed, superimposed blanks, each having a bottom edge, inwardly-inclined side edges, and a top edge including a section on one side of the blank and extending over substantially one-half the width thereof, and which is disposed along the waist line and is attached to the waist section of the garment, said upper edge further including a downwardly and outwardly-inclined section onthe opposite side of the blank which extends over the abdominal region of the wearer and which is free and unattached, the opposed, side edges of the superimposed blanks being secured to the back portion of the garment.

3. A body garment formed withfront and back portions, the front portion including a waist section and a skirt section which are joined together substantially at the waist line of the garment, the waist section including bust-enclosing portions and a blank'forming a midrifi section along the lower edge of the waist section, said skirt section being formed from a pair of similarlyshaped but oppositely-disposed, superimposed blanks, the grain line of the material of which is disposed on a bias relative to the front median line of the garment, each having a bottom edge, side edges, and a top edge including a section on one side of the blank which is disposed along the waist line and which is attached to the waist section of the garment, said upper edge further including a diagonally and downwardly-inclined section on the opposite side of the blank which extends over the abdominal region of the wearer and which is free and unattached, the opposite side edges of said superimposed blanks being attached to the back portion of the garment.

JOHANNA ,M. CHANDLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in "the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS 

